Experimental Analysis of Wire Mesh Heat Sink by Forced Convection

Abstract

In the study of heat transfer, fin is a surface that extended from an object to intensify the rate of convective heat transfer to or from the body or system by increasing heat transfer area. Fins are extensively used in air cooled automobile engines, air craft engines, cooling of generators, motors, transformers, refrigerators, cooling of computer processors and other electronic devices etc. The present paper reports an experimental study to investigate the heat transfer enhancement over horizontal flat surface with wire mesh rectangular fin arrays by forced convection. In this paper steady state forced convection from wire mesh fin array mounted on base plate is experimentally investigated. Mild steel heat sink with different specifications of wire mesh fins is fabricated and tested to quantify heat transfer rate and estimate heat transfer coefficient. Fin thickness varies from 1mm, 1.2mm, and 1.6mm. Effect of fin height, fin thickness, average and base heat transfer coefficient is experimentally determined. Effect of fin height and fin thickness over forced convection is reported.

Keywords: Heat Transfer Coefficient, Forced Convection, Wire Mesh Fin